Archive for October, 2013

What has become an annual event English League One side Wolverhampton Wanderers brought their U12 Academy side north to face their Rangers counterparts at Murray Park tonight. The English side took on Celtic last night going down 3-2. Rangers missed chances in the first period but the English side were passing the ball better and finished the first period ahead. The Rangers youngsters dominated the second and third periods and ran out comfortable winners.

Rangers created the first chance when Blair Rossiter sent Adedapo Mebude through but he was denied when the Wolves keeper blocked with his legs. Just after the ten minute mark the visitors took the lead, initially the danger came from a free-kick just outside the right side of the box, the shot was deflected and Nicky Hogarth did well to turn the ball wide of his left hand post. From the resultant corner the ball was delivered to the back post and it was headed into the net.

Rangers replied when Adedapo Mebude combined with Ryan Docherty and the latter sent the former through on goal, he was again denied when the keeper blocked with his legs. At the start of the second period the Wolves keeper denied Adedapo Mebude for the third time, saving bravely at the striker’s feet.

On the next occasion that Adedapo Mebude was through the keeper brought him down and the referee pointed to the spot, with Kai Kennedy stepping up to convert. Rangers soon edged ahead, Mason Kelman’s superb chip from the right side of the box had the keeper stretching to parry on to the crossbar but was helpless to prevent Blair Rossiter knocking the ball into the net from almost on the goal line.

Rangers soon increased their lead from an attack down the right and when the ball was cleared to the edge of the box Ciaran Dickson fired high into the net. Rangers were now dominating and the fourth goal came when Ciaran Dickson chased and won the ball on the right hand byline before centering for Matt Yates to shoot into the net.

The fifth was soon to follow, a solo run from Kai Kennedy on the left side of the box took him past three defenders before passing inside to Matt Yates who moved it on to Steven Bradley who slotted past the keeper. The visitor’s replied before the end of the second period with an attack down the left, when the shot came in Luke Scullion dived to his left to produce a fine save but was helpless when the rebound was knocked into the net.

Rangers continued to have the upper hand in the third period and when the Trialist No.16 won possession his pass sent Steven Bradley through on goal to net the sixth. The next goal was created by a superb Lewis Jamieson cross from the left that was headed past the keeper at the back post by Matt Yates. The scoring was complete when Steven Bradley progressed along the byline on the left and his cross was converted by the Trialist No.16 at the back post.

Rangers Under 20’s eased into the next round of the youth cup with a comfortable win against Dumbarton at Murray Park this afternoon. The visitors included two former Rangers players with Kjeld McIntyre lining up in midfield and Andy Biddulph spearheading the ‘Sons attack.

Rangers took the lead with the first real chance of the game after eleven minutes, Dylan Dykes on the right passed the ball into Danny Stoney inside the box and he sidestepped a defender before firing past Josh Coleman. Seven minutes later Josh Coleman spilled Callum Gallagher’s cross but redeemed himself by deflecting Charlie Telfer’s shot wide of his right hand post.

Andy Murdoch doubled Rangers lead on twenty minutes with a superb goal, from the left hand angle of the box he curled a lob over the keeper and into the top far corner of the net. The third goal came in the thirty-third minute, Tom Walsh’s free-kick from just outside the left side of the penalty area was headed into the net by Luca Gasparotto.

Half-Time:- Rangers 3 Dumbarton 0

Rangers attacked from the whistle and came close in the opening minute, Callam Gallagher attacked on the right and from his cross Tom Walsh’s header brought out a save from Josh Coleman low to his left. Just before the tenth minute of the half Rangers increased their lead, when a corner from the right was cleared to the edge of the box Charlie Telfer’s shot beat Josh Coleman with the aid of a slight deflection.

Three minutes later Callum Gallagher’s pass sent Tom Walsh through on goal, Josh Coleman advancing from his line to block with his legs. The goal was only delayed a further minute, Charlie Telfer being the creator, dancing along the byline on the left before cutting the ball back for Danny Stoney to fire into the net.

On seventy-three minutes Charlie Telfer passed inside Alan Deans to send Callum Gallagher into the right side of the box, he went down under a challenge, the referee pointed to the spot for a rather harsh penalty. Callum Gallagher stepped up to take the kick but was denied by a superb Josh Coleman save low to his right. A long ball then sent Danny Stoney clear, he rounded the keeper but his shot lacked a bit of power and Colin Cook got back to clear.

Rangers made it six with eight minutes remaining, Jamie Mills cut in along the eighteen yard line from the left before passing to Danny Stoney who completed his hat-trick from the edge of the box. Two minutes later the visitors had their best chance of the game, David Beaton’s pass inside Jamie Mills freed Kjeld McIntyre inside the box but he shot into the side netting. The final chance of the game was created with an exchange of passes between Tom Walsh and Dylan Dykes before the ball broke for Danny Stoney, with this time the Rangers striker shooting over.

Rangers development teams met Celtic this weekend at the various age groups, with the U15’s game cancelled I had the choice of venue, either Barrowfield for the U17’s or Murray Park where the U13’s and U14’s were playing. No contest so it was up to Auchenhowie for the 10am kick-off, and as is the norm I take in the older group’s game.

Rangers 4 Celtic 2

With Ally McCoist watching from the sidelines Rangers had a chance in the opening minute, Scott Gray’s corner from the right created the chance but Mati Zattafarra shot over. The Ibrox youngsters were to regret that miss when Celtic took the lead in the third minute, the initial attack came on the right side of the penalty area and when the shot came in Lewis Muir made a fine save from close range, but with the Rangers defence slow to react the rebound was fired high into the net.

Rangers equalised three minutes later, Scott Gray advanced down the left and his cross to the back post was knocked back across goal by Scott Blacklaw to allow Zak Rudden to net from close range. As the quarter-hour mark approached Jack Thomson sent Zak Rudden down the left, when his low cross came in Scott Blacklaw’s shot seemed destined for the net until the Celtic keeper dived to his right to turn the ball wide with a fine save.

Less than five minutes later Rangers took the lead, Scott Blacklaw’s pass across the box found Stephen Kelly on the left side of the area and he calmly slotted the ball past the keeper. In the final minute of the third period Scott Gray’s cross from the left found the head of Zak Rudden but his effort was just wide of the keeper’s left hand post.

Chances were few in the second period and there were only seven minutes of the period remaining when Stephen Kelly and Carlo Pigniatello combined to play the ball into the box to Zak Rudden, the ball broke back to the edge of the box from where Carlo Pigniatello shot just over. Two minutes later Rangers increased their lead, the Celtic keeper dallied on a pass back which allowed Zak Rudden to charge down his clearance and the ball bounced of the Rangers striker and into the net.

Celtic still had enough time to reduce the deficit before the end of the period, when a cross came in from the left the ball was eventually forced over the line despite the best effort of Michael Hewitt to clear. The final period followed a similar vein with chances at a premium and there was only eight minutes remaining when Rangers restored their two goal lead. Jack Thomson broke from defence before sending Zak Rudden clear through the inside left channel, the Rangers striker rounded the keeper before crossing for Mati Zattafarra to net at the far post.

In the final minutes Celtic had one further chance to reduce the deficit, when Lewis Muir was penalised for handling a pass back the shot from the free-kick went through the crowded box but Jack Pow was well placed to clear at Lewis Muir’s right hand post.

Rangers Under 17’s who have been struggling for a win in recent games had a comfortable win over Clyde in tonight’s Glasgow Cup tie at Murray Park. Although they did have to come from behind when Clyde took the lead in the sixteenth minute, The attack was built down the left and the shot from the edge of the box beat Robbie McCrorie.

The Rangers youngsters responded immediately and equalised within sixty seconds, Adam Wilson sent a free-kick from ten yards inside the Clyde half into the penalty where Junior Ogen’s back header looped over the keeper and into the net. Rangers then took the lead on twenty-five minutes when Ross Lyon sent an unstoppable twenty-five yarder into the top right hand corner of the net.

The next chance came when Ross Lyon on the right passed inside to Sam Jamieson who laid the ball back to Junior Ogen at the edge of the box with the Clyde keeper tipping his shot over. Ten minutes before the break the visitors created a chance and the shot from the edge of the box was just wide of Robbie McCrorie’s right hand post.

A minute later Clyde looked to have a decent shout for a penalty when their striker went down under a David Brownlie challenge on the right side of the box but the referee waved play on. Just before the half-time break Junior Ogen passed to Adam Wilson and his shot from distance beat the keeper.

Half-Time:- Rangers 3 Clyde 1

Rangers started the second half on the attack with the first chance coming when Scot Whiteside passed inside to Josh Jeffries who shot narrowly over. A minute later the visitor’s reduced the deficit, Robbie McCrorie failed to gather a corner from the right and from the ensuing scramble Clyde forced the ball over the line.

Rangers restored their two goal advantage as the sixty minute mark approached, a corner from the left was cleared to the edge of the box where Josh Jeffries sent a shot from around twenty-five yards into the net. Five minutes later Rangers scored again, Max Ashmore’s shot from the edge of the box found the net via the keeper’s left hand post.

Midway through the half Clyde attacked down the right and from the cross a goal seemed certain but the Clyde player failed to connect properly and the ball went across goal. Just after the seventy-five minute mark Rangers scored again, Max Ashmore hit the byline on the left and his cross found David Brownlie, who had been forward for a previous setplay and he headed past the keeper.

A minute later the scoring was complete when Josh Jeffries sent another twenty-five yarder past the keeper. The visitors finished the game positively and came close on a couple of occasions. Ten minutes before the final whistle their striker was played through the inside left channel and his shot bounced off Robbie McCrorie’s right hand post. The last chance came when Clyde attacked down the right and when the ball was played inside Robbie McCrorie saved the shot low to his right.

A Rangers Under 15 side that included a few Under 14’s had a comfortable win over Morton at Murray Park tonight. A long injury list has meant postponement of a few of the recent games for this age group, so it was a welcome return to action for some of them.

The first effort on goal came after seven minutes, Sam ????? cross from the right from midway inside the Morton half was headed just wide of the keeper’s left hand post by Zak Rudden. Two minutes later only a stunning save prevented Rangers taking the lead. When the keeper parried Liam Burt’s shot from twenty-five yards Zak Rudden looked certain to score from the rebound but the keeper dived high to his right to tip over.

The visitors had a chance from the edge of the box on twenty-six minutes and Kieran Wright had to dive to turn the ball wide of his right hand post. Rangers took the lead barely sixty seconds later Liam Burt robbed a defender twenty-five yards from goal and continued into the box to shoot past the keeper.

Just before the half hour Zak Rudden broke forward before feeding Andy Dallas who shot over from the edge of the box. Seven minutes before the break Rangers doubled their lead when Zak Rudden was bundled over inside the box and the same player converted from the spot.

Right on the half-time whistle Andy Dallas won the ball on the edge of the penalty area and his shot was just wide of the keeper’s right hand post.

Half-Time:- Rangers 2 Morton 0

Rangers increased their lead from another penalty seven minutes into the second half, Grant Nelson went down under a challenge on the right side of the box and the referee awarded a rather soft spot kick that he duly converted. As the game approached the final fifteen minutes Blair Docherty broke on the right before passing inside to Zak Rudden who’s shot had the keeper diving to his left to turn the ball round the post.

Five minutes later a solo run saw Liam Burt slalom into the box leaving three defenders in his wake and was denied by a brave save with the keeper diving at his feet. Just before the final whistle Grant Nelson’s free-kick from the right touch-line was cleared to the edge of the box from where Jason Krones thundered a shot high into the net.

Rangers fully utilised the over age player rule with Steve Simonsen, Kyle McAusland, Dean Shiels and David Templeton in the starting lineup but it couldn’t prevent them falling to an embarrassing defeat to a young Motherwell side.

The first real effort on goal came after thirteen minutes, David Templeton on the left passed inside to Dean Shiels who moved it on to Fraser Aird on the right side of the box with keeper Ross Stewart holding his effort under the crossbar. A minute later David Templeton’s dummy allowed Kyle McAusland to race clear on the left, he continued into the box where Ross Stewart blocked his shot with his legs.

Rangers came close a minute later when Andy Murdoch arrived late to knock David Templeton’s low cross from the left just wide of the near post. Five minutes later the visitors had their first real chance, good play on the left from Jack Leitch created space for the cross and Craig Moore’s header was just over.

Midway through the half Kyle McAusland and David Templeton combined on the left, from the later’s low cross Ross Stewart was at full stretch to touch the ball away. As the half-hour approached Dean Shiels and David Templeton combined to set up Fraser Aird on the right side of the box but shot over.

Motherwell responded by taking the lead from the penalty spot sixty seconds later. Jack Leitch’s free-kick from midway inside Rangers half was aimed to the right side of the box, Fraser Kerr rose to head across goal and the ball struck the raised hand of Kyle McAusland, Craig Moore stepped up to send Steve Simonsen the wrong way from the spot.

Rangers got back on level terms three minutes later, David Templeton’s free-kick from the edge of the box deflected off the wall, completely wrong footing keeper Ross Stewart. Eight minutes before the break Rangers were caught napping when a quick free-kick released Dale Shirkie on the left side of the penalty area and he drove past Steve Simonsen.

Half-Time:- Rangers 1 Motherwell 2

Motherwell came close twelve minutes into the second half, Craig Moore capitalised on poor decision-making from Steve Simonsen to beat him to the ball on the right side of the box, but his shot lacked power and Luca Gasparotto got back to clear comfortably. Two minutes later Chris Cadden’s corner from the right evaded everyone and Barrie McKay cleared off the line at the back post.

As the game entered the final fifteen minutes Callum Gallagher and David Templeton combined to free Charlie Telfer breaking into the right side of the box, he cut inside a defender before forcing a save from Ross Stewart. Rangers almost grabbed an equaliser in the final minute, Motherwell were struggling to clear a corner from the right, Kyle McAusland headed back across goal where Craig Halkett looked to have headed an equaliser but Jack Leitch cleared from the line at the post.